


In Which LeFou Becomes The Tavern Entertainer

by NobodyOfficial



Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Genre: Dancing, Fluff, M/M, Teenage AU, gaston very much homo, its only short sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 20:02:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13372065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NobodyOfficial/pseuds/NobodyOfficial
Summary: It's a sixteen-year-old LeFou's first time at the tavern and he isn't leaving until everyone knows his name.





	In Which LeFou Becomes The Tavern Entertainer

**Author's Note:**

> It's my first time writing this so it's probably a bit OOC and a bit... not good, but here ya go.

A soft dusk had set over the village, the sky an interflow of pink and purple. Houses were silent and sleepy, windows glowing gently as hearths burned to embers. A single building in the centre of the village was bursting with life, music blaring, light spilling over the cobblestones, cheerful voices exploding from within.

LeFou hovered in the shadows by the tavern, buzzing with excitement. Gaston had been promising to take him to the tavern for months, but had hesitated, claiming he feared LeFou would lessen his manly image. Really it was because he didn't want to get LeFou hurt, or overly drunk as he was only just sixteen, but LeFou had picked this up through subtext, of course. Gaston would never admit aloud that he cared for his friend.

A gentle tap on LeFou's shoulder startled him and he turned to find Gaston at his side. He had a lopsided grin on his face, which was half bathed in the glow of the tavern. "Hello," he said cheerily.

LeFou just squeaked and hugged him. "I am so excited!" He pulled back, glanced at his fist, then punched Gaston in the arm as he'd often seen him do to his friends.

Gaston frowned but shook it off and continued, "I promised my parents I'd look after you tonight. They think I'm a 'bad influence' on 'such a sweet young boy.'" He chuckled and put a hand on LeFou's back, escorting him into the cavern. "They do not know you at all."

"Tonight, I am a man!" LeFou declared proudly.

"You've always been a man, LeFou." They stepped into the warmth of the tavern and were hit with a wall of sound. The bar was crowded and the air smelled of sweat and beer. Along the back wall a row of musicians sat drinking, their instruments discarded on the floor. LeFou's eyes lit up; it was perfect. "Tonight you just get to drink with men."

Gaston raised a hand to greet Tom and Dick, who were sat with a boy even younger than LeFou, then lead him over to the bar to get a round of drinks. "I won't make you pay, since it's your first night," he said, handing LeFou a tankard. He took a sip then spat it straight back out when Gaston's back was turned. It was much stronger than the watered down ale they drank at home and not incredibly pleasant. Trying not to let his disgust show on his face, LeFou joined his friend at the table. Everyone seemed to be using the table top as a seat and the bench as a footrest, so he sandwiched himself between Gaston and the young boy.

"- and then she told me she wouldn't go out with me again until I learned how to dance." Tom was just finishing up a complaint. "What man knows how to dance?" He threw his head back and guffawed, but no one else around the table laughed. Gaston turned his head ever so slightly and glanced at LeFou, then smirked. LeFou jumped up to face Tom, hands clasped against his chest in anticipation and he stared him down.

"I can dance!" He declared proudly.

"LeFou." Tom glanced him over with a critical eye. "You can dance?"

"Yes." He puffed out his chest, then realised that wasn't so impressive since he didn't have such defined chest muscles. Instead he rested his foot on the bench, showing off his well toned legs through his tights. Tom remained utterly unimpressed but Gaston and the young boy were staring. LeFou basked in the attention.

"Prove it."

"Huh?" LeFou stopped watching his not-so-secret admirers and turned his attention back to Tom.

"Prove that you can dance," Tom leered.

"Well, you have my word." LeFou shrugged. He eyed the table, a smile slowly spreading across his lips. "Or I could show you." Leaning heavily on both Tom and Dick's shoulders he clambers onto the table. "Some music, please!" The tavern continued without even acknowledging the small boy on the table. Only Gaston's friends were watching him. That wouldn't do. "Some music. Please," he yelled. Several heads turned his way and he grinned smugly.

"Hey little girl, what're you doing on the table?" Someone called.

"I am not a little girl, I'm a man," LeFou shouted in response. He didn't mind though, more people were looking at him now.

"Ok. What're you doing on the table, little man?"

"I'm going to prove to Tom that I can dance," he told everyone. There was a huge uproar as people laughed and shouted. Strong hands gripped LeFou's shoulders and lifted him from the small table, depositing him on the large one in front of the hearth. A crowd gathered around the foot of the table, critiquing his appearance and choice of clothing.

"Look at that hair ribbon, he's a sissy."

"The hair ribbon? His entire outfit's pink!"

"He's just a little kid; he's still got his baby fat."

"No, I've seen him hanging around with Gaston, he's just chubby."

"He can't dance!"

"Shut up and pay attention to me!" LeFou yelled over the din. He untied his hair and shook his head a little, giving it a rugged style. Not wanting to lose a good hair tie he then fastened the ribbon around his neck. The crowd laughed and jeered. "I'm not a little kid, I'm sixteen years old and I'm just fat. And I can dance!" He tried to stomp his foot aggressively but could only muster sassy confidence. He stood on his tiptoes to see over the crowd and shouted to the musicians, who were now beginning to send glances his way, "Something upbeat, if you would."

"Pay us, if you would," the fiddler replied hotly. He hurled an empty tankard right at LeFou's face.

Frozen with panic, LeFou closed his eyes and held his hands out. The tankard landed squarely between them. The crowd went wild. Smiling, LeFou fished a single coin from his pocket and dropped it into the tankard, then hurled it back at the musicians. They reluctantly picked up their instruments, mumbling among themselves as they decided what to play.

A bubbly, upbeat tune began and suddenly LeFou was at a loss for what to do. Most of the dances he knew were for two people, and although he was perfectly capable of dancing on his own he thought he might look a bit of a fool. The crowd jostled around a little and LeFou realised he was beginning to lose their attention.

"Umm, anyone want to come and be my dance partner?" He called, slightly nervously.

People laughed and shoved their reluctant friends forward, but no one joined LeFou on the table. Several groups of girls giggled, daring their friends to get up, and LeFou blushed, feeling self conscious for the first time that evening.

"I'll dance with you!" Gaston's young friend shouted, having to be physically restrained by Dick.

"No, that makes you look like a sissy," Dick hissed.

"I am a sissy!" The boy replied. Dick clamped a hand over his mouth and sat him down.

Men began to push their friends to the front of the crowd, joking that they'd get the chance to be a woman for one dance. LeFou shuffled his feet uncomfortably. He didn't see anything wrong with dancing with another man. Actually, he found the idea quite attractive. He didn't see why everyone else thought it such a huge deal.

"Silence!" Gaston's roar cut through the gibbering of the crowd and silenced the musicians. He rose then stepped across to join LeFou on his table. "I will dance with LeFou. Does anyone think me less of a man?" Dazed, fearful faces stared up at them. "Good. Music." On command, the musicians started up again. "You are going to let me lead, aren't you?" Gaston asked in a hushed voice, tucking LeFou's curls behind his ear.

"Of course not," LeFou giggled, giddied by his proximity to Gaston's warm lips. "This is my dance, after all."

As soon as a new bar of music began he grabbed Gaston and embarked on an incredibly lively, complex step sequence. Gaston was watching his feet intently, struggling to keep up. It felt good to be the one in charge for once, LeFou though. Who'd have known he was a better dancer than Gaston?

"I'm going to spin you now," LeFou whispered.

"What? No-" Gaston began to protest but he was already being whipped round.

"I'm enjoying this," LeFou beamed as the crowd began to clap along to the music. Unlike Gaston his life wasn't hinged on other people's approval, but he was a showman at heart and had to problem taking to the spotlight. He knew he'd never be noticed for his brains or his brawn; he'd dropped out of school before he'd even learned to read and although he was fairly strong he had nothing on the rest of the village boys his age. But when it came to performing he knew he was unbeaten. If only he could show them how well he could sing, too...

The song began to speed up and LeFou was beginning to leave a very flustered Gaston behind with his footwork. He spun him off to one side, to Gaston's slight annoyance, and danced on his own, confidence growing with the enthusiasm of the crowd. The music stopped suddenly and LeFou found himself at the edge of the table, a meter's gap between the next one.

"Jump!" Someone yelled.

"Do a flip!"

LeFou looked back at Gaston, who raised an eyebrow and shrugged. Why not? Taking a step back and steeling himself, LeFou jumped into the gap, clumsily completed one summersault, then landed on the edge of the other table with his heart hammering. The entire tavern applauded. The musicians played him a final fanfare. He began to fall backwards off the table.

"Argh-"

"Gotcha." Gaston caught LeFou by the shoulders, lifting him up and setting him carefully down on the table.

"My heart is racing right now," LeFou sighed, leaning into his friend's side.

"Your heart's racing now? You just did an entire dance routine," Gaston smiled.

"Eh, dancing doesn't make me tired," LeFou said airily, waving his hand. He was all too aware of Gaston's eyes studying his face, so he watched all the happy faces gathered around the table. He looked to Tom and Dick, who were stunning, and their young friend, who was clapping and cheering exuberantly. He gave them a smug smile.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Gaston announced to the crowd, "My best friend and the greatest dancer in the whole of Villeneuve, no, the whole of France! Monsieur LeFou!"

As the crowd went wild LeFou whispered to Gaston, "So you don't mind sharing the spotlight?"

"For you? Anything," Gaston purred in reply. LeFou sighed. If only.

They dismounted the table and walked over to the bar, people patting them on the back as they went. Despite LeFou still having a full tankard back at the table someone bought him a drink, so he made the effort to at least take a sip. It wasn't as acrid as last time and he actually found it quite refreshing. He took another sip.

The light had barely faded and LeFou had an unlimited supply of people offering to buy him drinks. Gaston wasn't jealous, as he had expected him to be, but seemed proud of him. When LeFou questioned this Gaston murmured, "You're my friend, and if you look good I look good." He smiled and LeFou almost believed him. Almost.

"And you think I look good dancing," he boasted, watching Gaston's face closely because if he hadn't been he would've missed his slightly flushed cheeks and the panicked look in his eyes.

"Yes, yes, I guess you do," he said eventually, regaining his composure before he'd even lost it. LeFou laughed, turning to talk to someone vying for his attention, and missed Gaston's soft whisper, "But than again, you always look good."

**Author's Note:**

> Better stuff coming soon, I promise, but not for this fandom quite yet. However I'm taking as many writing prompts as possible on tumblr @ everyonewholovesmehasdied to if you want to make me write something better just come ask!
> 
> Thanks for reading :D


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